destruir
Lemma Details
Translation: to destroy; to demolish; to ruin; to wreck; to devastate
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'destruere', composed of the prefix 'de-' (down, away from) and 'struere' (to build, pile up). The English cognate 'destroy' comes from the same Latin root via Old French 'destruire'. The connection to 'structure' is clear, as both share the root 'struere', with 'destruir' meaning to take down what has been built up.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El terremoto destruyó muchos edificios.
The earthquake destroyed many buildings.
No dejes que el estrés destruya tu salud.
Don't let stress destroy your health.
La guerra destruye vidas inocentes.
War destroys innocent lives.
Están destruyendo el bosque para construir casas.
They are destroying the forest to build houses.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'destruir' as 'de-structure' - to take apart a structure.
- The 'ui' in 'destruir' sounds like 'ruin' in English, which is what happens when you destroy something.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
The verb 'destruir' is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts in Spanish. It appears frequently in discussions about environmental issues, war, and emotional states.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'destruir' means 'to destroy', 'distribuir' means 'to distribute' or 'to hand out'. They look similar but have very different meanings.
Confused word:
Vamos a distribuir estos folletos por toda la ciudad.
We're going to distribute these flyers throughout the city.
Notes: Both are -uir verbs that follow similar conjugation patterns, but their meanings are completely opposite - one removes things while the other spreads things around.
Mnemonic: 'Destruir' has 'true' in it, which can remind you that it truly eliminates something, while 'distribuir' has 'tri' which can remind you of 'tribute' or giving something out.
Explanation: 'Destruir' means 'to destroy' while 'descubrir' means 'to discover' or 'to uncover'.
Confused word:
Los científicos descubrieron una nueva especie.
The scientists discovered a new species.
Notes: Both start with 'des-' but have very different meanings and conjugation patterns.
Mnemonic: 'Descubrir' contains 'cubrir' (to cover), so it means 'to uncover' something, while 'destruir' contains 'stru' like 'structure', so it means to break down a structure.